Mansfield powerchair footie club gets £13,000 boost to recover from lockdown

A Mansfield-based disabled football club has been awarded more than £13,000 after being badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nottinghamshire Powerchair Football ClubNottinghamshire Powerchair Football Club
Nottinghamshire Powerchair Football Club

Nottinghamshire Powerchair Football Club, which is based in Mansfield and represents the county in the national muscular dystrophy leagues, has been awarded the money through Sport England’s Community Emergency Fund.

The new fund aims to deliver immediate funding to those who have a role in supporting the nation to be active but are experiencing short-term financial hardship or the ceasing of operations due to the impact of coronavirus.

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Powerchair football gives people with disabilities the opportunity to be part of a team and play competitively.

Nottinghamshire Powerchair Football ClubNottinghamshire Powerchair Football Club
Nottinghamshire Powerchair Football Club

The club currently has 21 players and three teams that represent Nottinghamshire nationally.

Club chairman Ricky Stevenson said ”This is fantastic support for our club.

"This is the 15th year since we formed and was the first time we did not have a plan in place, as nobody could plan for this.

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"These vital funds will enable the club to start activities when it’s safe to do so.”

Due to not being able to gain access to the club’s chairs and keep them charged, it will cost about £500 per chair to replace the batteries alone.

Ricky added: “Without the award, it would have been difficult for the club to continue and would have had to rely on players to fund the replacement batteries.”

Tim Hollingsworth, Sport England’s chief executive, said “As the body responsible for the growth of sport and physical activity participation, we want the vital grassroots organisations that make sport and physical activity happen in this country to not just to come through this crisis but to be in a position to thrive again.

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"The Community Emergency Fund, made possible by National Lottery players, is part of a multimillion pound support package we are providing to ease the pressure on organisations who are central to the nation’s health and wellbeing.

"We are proud to be able to provide vital funding to Nottinghamshire Powerchair FC to help it through these extremely challenging times.”